First posted by UIUC Department of Chemistry Newsroom.
The Society of Biological Inorganic Chemistry has recognized the research of Professor Liviu Mirica, awarding him the 2020 SBIC Early Career Award.
The award committee noted that his work has been highly cited and his publication record has been impressive, publishing only in the very top journals, and he has also been recognized with numerous awards, including the Saltman Lecture at the Metals in Biology Gordon Conference, which recognizes early career, young researchers in bioinorganic chemistry.
The William H. and Janet G. Lycan Professor, Mirica has established a broad research program in the areas of biological inorganic chemistry, chemical biology, and bioinspired organometallic chemistry as a faculty member of the Department of Chemistry.
Mirica has been studying the role of metal ions in the aggregation of amyloid peptides and oxidative stress, both implicated in disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, and his research group is developing multifunctional compounds as potential therapeutic and diagnostic/imaging agents for neurodegenerative diseases.